 The Auditorium was named for Edward W. Hoch, 17th Governor of Kansas, member of the Board of Regents, and University supporter.It was home to the University of Kansas Jayhawks basketball teams until Allen Fieldhouse opened in 1955.In 1957, Andrew McKinley was the tenor soloist in the world premiere of Cecil Effinger's oratorio "The Invisible Fire" at Hoch Auditorium with the Kansas City Philharmonic under conductor Thor Johnson.